National Briefing | South: North Carolina: Accused Marine Is Praised

On the third day of hearings to determine whether a Marine officer should face charges of premeditated murder in the deaths of two Iraqis, former comrades said they would willingly go to war with him again. None witnessed the shooting, so they shed no light on why the defendant, Second Lt. Ilario Pantano, killed the two Iraqis a year ago near Mahmudiya. Lieutenant Pantano, who has said he acted in self-defense, had tears in his eyes as he listened to some of the marines he once commanded. "He is a great marine who has the attention to detail to bring the men back alive," said Martin McPherson, who is now a civilian. John DeSantis (NYT)